Mama in San Diego (Part One: Favorite Places to Stay and Relax)

The way Bert the Chimney Sweep described Mary Poppins pretty much describes the week I had in San Diego; "practically perfect in every way..."

The only less-than-perfect part of the trip was my very sore foot and ankle which hampered my normal fast walking (time to get an X-ray) and the fact that Gonzaga got beat in the final NCAA basketball tournament.

Both my beautiful daughters are teachers in Spokane and they wanted to leave their snowy city on their Spring Break. I wanted to leave my rainy town and spend time with them. My husband had business down in California so a trip was planned. Here's a recap of our fun five days!

My youngest daughter Sarah and I flew down early Sunday morning and checked into our little Boutique hotel called The Kimpton Hotel Solamar. I had discovered a deal on the "Jetsetter" website. It was right in the heart of the Gaslamp District so getting around on foot was so easy! Well, not SO easy since I was limping... I love how they welcome dogs with "VIP-very important pet" signs and the guys at the door are always there to greet and open the doors for you. So welcoming...

We lounged by the pool, then explored the area and window-shopped.  After a light dinner, we turned in early since we had gotten up EARLY for our flight down. Monday morning I slept in and found my daughter out on the patio writing. Given the option, it's always more enjoyable to sip coffee or tea outside.

My older daughter Allie joined us on Monday afternoon. She had been visiting a friend who is in Grad School up at Pepperdine, so she took the train down from L.A.

Sangria by the pool with my girls was quite relaxing. We met Nicole who was also from Washington State and on a Spring Break from teaching. She looked so much like my pretty boss!

One of our favorite things in the world to do on vacation is to get massages and we tracked down a great deal only two blocks from our hotel. "Bangkok Day Spa" might look sketchy but the service was amazing and it was half the price of treatments at resorts or spas!

Wednesday morning we loaded up our bags and Ubered over to the Marriott Marquis by the marina. Due to my husband's constant business travel, he'd racked up some points for some free nights. Our view? Beautiful. The pool area? Quite nice! I will say however, I kind-off missed our small, uncrowded spot back at the Solamar.

The view from our balcony was stunning.

Our last day of vacation was a divide and conquer; almost like we used to do when our children were younger! Sarah wanted to see the Zoo and take pictures, so my husband took her for the day.

Meanwhile, Allie and I wanted beach time, so we hopped a ferry and headed to Coronado Island. Have you been there?! It's just so beautiful and has such rich history. The Del Coronado opened in 1888 and was the largest resort in the world at that time. Hollywood stars, athletes and politicians have stayed there through the years. Unless I find some crazy deal, I doubt I'll be spending the night at the Del Coronado Resort anytime soon. Doubt we'll be buying a house on the island someday either since they start at just under a million dollars!

Tip: When you miss the ferry by one minute, don't panic. Joe's Crab Shack has a lovely Sangria.

I want to do a bit more research and find out if maybe I could be related to one of the resorts founders whose last name is my maiden name: Story. I did discover Hampton Story started the company in Chicago named Story and Clark Pianos in the mid-1800's before heading west.

The beach and ocean filled our souls. Thank you God, for your amazing creation!

Many of my pictures were taken by my "art teacher, blogger, photographer" daughter. Please check out her blog, Simple Joys by Sarah and see some of her other talented work.

Stay tuned for suggestions for dining and some lessons learned from my trip in future posts.

Grateful for Grace and in His Grip,
xo Jane